LeDio LED spotlight 7W and 21W: PAR values and first impressions

Earlier this week I received two LeDio 7 watt LED lamps and one Ledio 21 watt from my friend Eiji in Japan who is running the best community site for reefers, 1.023 World.   Actually, he got some samples from…

Kotobuki Eco LED Light Stick in Japan for ¥2,980

Another day, another LED light. This light made by Kotobuki is being released in Japan and offers a slim and compact unit that actually looks quite slick. The Kotobuki LED light is rated at only 3 watts so its best…

Polyp Lab One tackles Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium in single product

Polyp Lab recently brought One, an all-in-one dosing product, to the market taking two-part dosing a step further with the addition of magnesium to traditional calcium and alkalinity solutions. The Canadian manufacturer has combined calcium acetate, magnesium acetate and hydroxide…

In Tuamotu, Maxima Clams are the Reef Builders

Tuamotu Maxima clams are the hottest thing to hit the Tridacna reef scene since the Maxea hybrids from earlier in the year. This past week a shipment of large magnificent Tridacna maxima was imported into the U.S. by Pacific Aqua…

Robotic fish to swim, monitor the open seas

Robotic fish are not the latest Hollywood horror flick but they are looking to make a “splash” and be released in the wild to monitor and transmit  conditions from bodies of water to researchers ashore. In tandem, zoologists and engineers…

Grassy LeDio LED spotlight in 7, 13 and now 21 watt configurations

Grassy LeDio LED spotlights may be made in Japan but that doesn’t stop us from being able to use the Edison incandescent base in our own sockets. In fact, our Japanese contributor Taka Kamata is expecting to receive these lamps…

Brighter colors of male reef fish are now closer to being understood by new research

It’s no secret that male reef fish usually have much brighter colors and in some cases gaudy coloration compared to their female counterparts. This feature of sexual dichromatism is particularly pronounced in wrasses, anthias and to lesser degree in the…

Thoughts on Reef Aquarium Husbandry: “Good things done in small measures, with frequency.”

Recently, I gave a talk at a hobby club meeting in Vermont, and the topic was Nutrient Control and Export”.  I’ve given this talk at some other clubs aound the nation before, and I’m frequently surprised by how much hobbyists…

BioPellets coming to North America from Aquarium Specialty

More good news on the NP-reducing BioPellets we brought you earlier. Reef Builders’ sponsor Aquarium Specialty is bringing the BioPellets to North America in mid-November and they are taking pre-orders today. Aquarium Specialty expects the shipment to arrive the second…

Pictichromis dinar, a new bicolor dottyback species from Sulawesi

Pictichromis dinar is a new species of Pseudochromis discovered in the Western Gulf of Tomini, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Although we’ve seen Pictichromis dinar in person on a couple occasions over the last 18 months, the species was only recently described by…